September 4, 2026 -- Proverbs 11:30 -- Soul Winners

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit’s power: Sh’ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and whoever wins souls is wise.” – Proverbs 11:30 

Scripture reading: Isaiah 53:7-12

You might be thinking, I’m just a kid or an adult who’s never had children. How is this series on discipleship going to impact me? The Proverbs teach us that anyone who wins souls is wise. Such soul winning does not necessarily come by doing door-to-door evangelism. As you live a righteous life, one who believes and lives for Jesus out of the fullness of salvation in Him, others will see you and be drawn to your testimony.

Secondly, Jesus never married or had biological children, yet the Father inspired Isaiah the prophet to declare that Jesus would see His offspring. Because through faith in Jesus, many will be accounted righteous and be called sons and daughters of God. And, in a sense, we are also children of Jesus because we are His disciples. What a glorious truth. Every single person can be fruitful, and lead many to Jesus. That is the greatest fruitfulness in any life.

Daniel impacted an empire. There is no mention of his children, or his being married. Many of his contemporaries saw his faith and believed in God. Anna, the prophetess was always in the temple worshiping God. She was married for seven years, was a widow for decades, with no mention of her having children, and lived to see the infant Jesus. Her life was a tremendous witness to the Jews in the temple who heard her rejoice over Jesus. As you tell others about Jesus, you are building a legacy that is great and brings glory to Jesus.

Suggestions for prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to build into your life a hunger for righteousness and a zeal to walk with Jesus. Pray that your life will be a living testimony to Jesus, bright as a lighthouse to those who are lost and seeking new life.

September 3, 2026 -- Colossians 1:12-14 -- Renewed Love

“…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” – Colossians 1:12-14 

Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

The Scripture reading today is called “The Shema”. The command ‘hear’ in English, is the translation of the Hebrew word ‘sh’ma’, and it carries the sense that a person should hear and obey. Throughout the centuries, devout Jews have begun and ended their day by reciting Deuteronomy 6:4-5. That practice emphasizes the work of parents. The most important work in all life is to acknowledge God as Sovereign over all of one’s life. The LORD is to be feared, praised, honoured and adored.

The next emphasis of the Sh’ma is that those who belong to the LORD are to love the LORD. Our lives are to be consumed with the sole (and soul) purpose of expressing to God the Father our deepest love. The guide to such love is found in obedience to His commandments which He has given them as a rule for life and the path of thanksgiving.

Do you find your enthusiasm waning? Is training up your children in the LORD a lack-lustre enterprise? You must ask yourself this: “Am I myself overwhelmed with love and awe at the loving-kindness God demonstrated when He rescued me from death and brought me into the kingdom of the Son He loves?” If your own experience of faith is not Spirit-fueled, then the task of teaching your children will be hard slogging. Perhaps, for the remainder of this month, recite the Sh’ma, Deuteronomy 6:4-5 morning and evening. Pray for the Spirit to revive your love for God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Suggestions for prayer

Ask the Spirit of God to transform your personal Bible reading times so that the Word becomes for you living, powerful and rich. Ask God to help you to count your blessings and to see the evidence of His grace poured out in your life so that you will have a greater zeal in holy service.

September 2, 2026 -- Proverbs 1:8-10 -- Why is it always about sons?

“Hear my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, they are a graceful garland for your head and a pendant for your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” – Proverbs 1:8-10 

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-3

I can hear folks protesting: why is it always sons? The focus in these verses is on training sons within the household. A couple of things are important to note. Sons are disciplined throughout their youth to be the head of the family. This was ordained by the LORD in the Garden of Eden. Husbands and fathers are to be a blessing to the members of their family.

A son who has been trained to grow in the knowledge of the LORD has been equipped to be a faithful husband and a diligent father. A wise woman would do well to look at her potential husband’s family. Are there family devotions? Can you see that his family does more than pay lip service to God? Is their faith more than a “Sunday-only” event?

A man who has been raised in the ways of God will seek a godly wife. The promise of God is that a man and a woman who are married are one flesh. It is meant to be true in their educational focus as well. A man well-instructed in the ways of wisdom will seek out a wife who is herself wise to God.

Raising children is challenging. If a man and a woman do not know the statutes and rules of God but are committed to raising their children in them, their marriage is going to face challenges. Sons who fear the LORD and demonstrate this in everyday life are good for society and ripe for the marriage market.

Suggestions for prayer

Think of the young men and women in your family, or in your church, or around you at school and pray for wisdom in choosing a husband (or a wife). Husband and wife, continually pray for your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren that they may know and serve Jesus.

September 1, 2026 -- Proverbs 5:1-2 -- The Seed of Vision Planted

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit’s Power: Sh’ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The seed of vision planted

“My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.” – Proverbs 5:1-2

Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-3

The Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for 400 years. Their sons were drowned in the Nile. The LORD their God rescued them, and guided them even after they’d refused to enter the promised land, a sin which cost the lives of all that generation (except Joshua and Caleb). Now, at the edge of the Promised Land, Moses offers his final teaching before he dies, and Joshua and the new leaders will bring the people into the Land.

The people of God are commanded to teach their sons and grandsons the laws of God daily, so that they may live in a blessed relationship with their covenant-keeping God in the Promised Land. They are to do so because their children are image-bearers of their heavenly King. Parents are given their life’s goal: to teach their children and descendants to know and love God and serve Him. Children taught in this way will be called the children of promise (spoken of in God’s covenant to Abram Genesis 15:1ff). Look at the promises which attend this command. The people will multiply greatly. They will live securely in the land flowing with milk and honey.

Each family is a building block of society. As the families are committed to teaching the way of God to their children, it is expected that the knowledge of the LORD will be the fragrance that wafts from each home, entering the market and the public square and ultimately serving as a powerful witness of the glory of God to all the nations around them.

Suggestions for prayer

If perhaps you find you have been slacking a bit in teaching your children the way of the LORD, it might be a good day to recommit to this. If you are well focused on this, ask the Spirit how you might be an encouragement to others who are struggling.

From devotional: Nearer to God

Richard Vander Vaart is this month’s writer

Theme: Discipleship

August 31, 2026 -- Psalm 96:9 -- Worship--what is it?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
Psalm 96:9 ESV
 
What is worship? What follows is a partial list, a reflection of what it means to worship God.

• It is a life-long conversation with God. There are formal times when we pray to God. It is our speaking to God.

• There are informal times of prayer as well. When we’re driving and we happen to see a glorious sunset and we say, “God, You’re amazing”.

• When we read the Bible, it is God speaking to us. He has stooped to our weakness; the infinite God of all creation knows you and me by name. He has made a way open for us to know Him, hear Him, and be directed by His Holy Spirit. It is worship to hear the voice of God in the Word.

• Worship means we sing to God. I know that we can be self-conscious, but it amazes me how easily people will sing rock anthems, or love songs, but are too embarrassed to sing the praises of God Who made us. Remember how Moses argued with God and said, “I can’t be Your voice to Pharaoh because I speak with stutters?” God answered: “Who made your mouth and lips?” The obvious answer is: “You did”. So, with whatever talent, or lack of talent you have, praise God with your voice.

• We give our gifts and offerings to Him we are worshipping God. We recognize what we place in the offering plate sanctifies, makes holy, whatever we have. But we also give out there in the world. If we see our brother or sister in need, but don’t help, then we are no better than the pagans.

• Worship also takes place on Sundays, when believers get together. This is a formal time of removing all hinderances and distractions and together looking to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of all true believing.

• Worship is adoring Jesus, in Whom we have been reconciled to God. Jesus’ blood covered our sins. Jesus’ blood turns aside God’s just anger against our sins, past, present, and future. Worship is declaring: “Jesus, You are all my joy”.

 
Oh God, I am Yours. What a privilege that is. If I understood more fully the greatness of the privilege of belonging to You, words of worship would never stop flowing from my lips! As it is, I confess how faint is my praise, how few my songs of adoration and how flimsy my faith is. Spirit of God, renew in me the knowledge of Jesus and restore to me the joy of my salvation. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/UoHrBNTfzIs?si=UlWUhR2v2iBcMXKs Gratitude
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 30, 2026 -- Jeremiah 7:11 -- Putting yourself out there

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Has this house, which is called by My Name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD. Jeremiah 7:11 ESV
 
Jesus quoted this text when He cleansed the temple (Matthew 21:13). The words are strong condemnation against the people of God. A den of robbers is a place where thieves go to split their profits. A den of robbers is a place that thieves figure is safe from the pursuing authorities or fellow thieves. The point is the people had neglected to honour the temple of the LORD as holy. Even as the LORD is holy. They were acting as if God could not see the abomination of their ways. An abomination is something vile, disgusting, sickening and rebellious against the perfections of the Living God.
 
The temple is the LORD’s house. When you enter someone else’s house, you want to make sure you follow the rules and habits of the home. It is part of being a good guest. You know that some homes require you remove your shoes. Other times, especially if it was a rainy and muddy day, you automatically remove your soiled shoes. It is a courtesy. You sit where the host directs you. Perhaps in the kitchen. Maybe in the living room. But it is the host who decides this. So it is with the Lord’s house. People are appropriately attired. It is God’s house, not a beach or a backyard. People are called upon to observe the rules of God’s house. It is a grand and mighty privilege to meet with the Living God. We do not command Him. We do not summon Him. We do not tell Him what to do and what not to do. We are the supplicants; the ones seeking an audience with the Glorious One Who alone lives in unapproachable Light. He has made the way open for relationship with Himself. So, in humble awe, we meet with our King following His protocols.
 
The LORD Himself sees everything you do and everything in you. How are you prepared for worship today? Are you going to the house of the Lord? Are you going with joy? Are you neglecting to go to worship God—have you made idols in your life to serve them instead? If you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, He has cleansed your heart—like He cleansed the temple in Jerusalem. The question now is, with what are you filling your heart?
 
Spirit of God expose to me the true condition of my heart. Reveal to me the competing priorities which easily trump my soul’s greatest need—which is to know Jesus as the Treasure of my Soul. I know I was designed to bring honour, praise and glory to God. Any other endeavor will leave me twisted, like when I try to use a butter knife to turn a screw. Since this is the purpose You have ordained for my life, help me to serve Jesus without reservation or complaint. As I do O God, my Father, let the magnificence of Your grace, demonstrated to me in Christ, be my all in all. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/FgFn7fFLVG8?si=cMoAgCyjI6FqqMWe Your Grace Still Amazes Me
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 28, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:23 -- What keeps you from poverty?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
Proverbs 14:23 ESV
 
This particular word for toil isn’t used very often in the Bible (six times for those who like to count such things!). The first time is when Eve is told she will toil, or have pain, in childbearing. Interestingly the toil of childbearing produces the wonderful gift of birthing a child. Hard work is itself a reward. Such a blessing to have something useful and productive to do. What hard work produces is also a reward.
 
What is mere talk like? Consider how many young men waste their lives on video games. Think about how many young women waste their lives chasing the latest fashion. It is talk that leads to poverty. You feel busy, but you aren’t. You are going around in circles and spending yourself for nothing. A vapor. There are so many examples of idle talking: weather, sports, news and so on. There are examples of wicked speech, which destroys: gossip, slander, malicious reporting.
 
When Jesus invites a man, or a woman, to follow Him, He calls them to profitable toil. Some will be evangelists, calling people from the mere talk that is bringing them to poverty of life poverty of future hope, and poverty of soul. Some will be teachers, who educate the curious in the ways of Jesus. Others will be given the gift of hospitality, so that ones received by Jesus will have food, lodging and proper care. Others have the gift of mercy—helping to heal wounds and restore community. Others have the gift of helping—financially, or fixing things that have been broken so that the formerly shriveled soul can now live in true community. Others will preach. Others will organize community so that people newly received can connect with those who have been members of long-standing.
 
Father in heaven, when You bring someone to Yourself, it is to enfold that one into Your family. There are so many avenues of welcome. You have given gifts to Your people so that all newcomers can be received, discipled, and mature in our holy faith. Forgive us for fields unwon. Forgive us for work undone. Forgive us for desiring exclude others because selfishly we only want to serve ourselves, people who we deem to be “our people” or like us. As You have brought us close in Christ, and equipped us with Your Spirit, renew in us a vigorous vision to receive others. Fix our eyes on Jesus, the lover of our souls, the Captain of Salvation, and Him Who is the Desired of all Nations. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/xd28CiLalec?si=j8WQsvyCKGFfWgCF Psalm 113 The Glory and Condescension of God
 

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August 27, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:22 -- Devising good

Do they not go astray who devise evil?

Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.

Proverbs 14:22 ESV

A commentary notes that a question has a way of getting past your defenses and digging into your mind so that the teaching is intensified. Look again, the first part of today’s text is a question. Digging into your past. Asking you to look around you and see if you can uncover examples of the truth of the statement. Moving on, to devise evil is to work with it, like a carpenter works with his tools to build something, like an engraver works with metals to produce brilliant designs. Devising evil takes effort. You put sweat equity into it and are a lesser man for it. Evil is not something you just fall into. It is something you plan, you prepare for, you meditate on. When the opportunity for evil presents itself, you are primed and ready to execute it.

The man of God plans, prepares for, and meditates on the good. Guided by the word of God, filled with the Spirit, bad plans, wayward designs and sin are intrusions to the good he wants to accomplish. While the bad is still easily correctable, or the temptation to sin is small, the one devising good man discards the bad. He knows a little evil will destroy years of hard work and crush a reputation. He makes good plans to obey God by knowing the word and putting it into action. He devises good, thinking how he can help his neighbour. The man devising good looks for ways to change his stance against his enemy so that the enemy is disarmed by the good man’s compassion exercised in Jesus’ Name. He is devising good among fellow believers and in the household of faith. The one who devises good works with good like a painter splashes colours on canvas. Like a sculptor works with stone removing whatever needs to be taken off, so that the final product is a work of art. Devising good is as attention-grabbing as magnificent art. Better even, because it is so rare in our world.

Those who devise good have been captivated by the beauty of Jesus. Those who devise good have the Holy Spirit of God living in them showing them opportunities for working out good, like an artist designing the next major project. Those who devise good rest in the goodness of God, surprised at how gracious our Good Father is—He is the source of all good. He is the instigator of circumstances where opportunities for good will abound in your life.

Heavenly Father, You are good and Your love endures from generation to generation. Thank You for the men and women who have displayed the evidence of Your goodness in our lives. Thank You for those who have taught us the ways of Jesus. Thank You for the work of Your Holy Spirit Who is directing us to devise good so that others will, with joy, meet Jesus. Amen.

https://youtu.be/-ak0OoFBw3c?si=OmY6T8PbND9GvO1i Good Good Father

August 18, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:16 -- Wise or a wise guy?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless. Proverbs 14:16 ESV
 
There are various possible translations for the second line of today’s proverb. It is one that is hard to accurately translate. I suppose you could explain the contrasting parallelism in this way: One man is wise and the other is a wise-guy, or he is merely wise in his own eyes.
 
The proverbs are filled with descriptions of the one who is wise. In our verse today the wise fears (the ESV translators opted instead for “is cautious”); normally you’d expect to read “fears the LORD”. But the word stands alone. To fear [the LORD] is to be cautious in the face of evil, or temptations, and allow one’s course of action to be determined by the Word. To fear wisely is to be cautious and anticipate what might result from raging or blindly going forward.
 
A fool is one who is dull, or stupid—the evidence of the LORD’s power and presence are all around him, but he refuses to acknowledge it and hardens his heart. The dullard does not worship the God Who created him, sustains him, and gives him breath. He uses the very breath God has put into his lungs to rage against his Creator. The word reckless is translated as “rages” in the King James Version. He rages against wisdom. He is reckless with the gifts of God and the treasure of his life.
 
The next word in the second phrase is variously translated as well, because it literally means: “he trusts”. Implied is the sense he trusts himself—which is why he is stupid—because the wise place their trust in God alone. The man of folly feels secure in himself, though he has no reason to be, his previous foolishness has, most likely, already been exposed in his life many times over, but he ignored the consequences of it then, and now again.
 
In today’s proverb you hear the echo of an earlier one. If you are a fool you are a fool alone, if you are wise you are wise unto the LORD (a loose translation of Proverbs 9:12). Are you acting like a fool, or can you see the wisdom of God taking hold of your heart?
 
O LORD,
the world is artful to entrap,
approaches in fascinating guise,
extends many a gilded bait,
presents many a charming face.
Let my faith scan every painted bauble,
and escape every bewitching snare
in a victory that overcomes all things.
By unbelief I often keep the Lord outside my door.
Let faith give entrance that He may abide with me forever.
  Excerpt from: “Faith and the World” Valley of Vision
 
https://youtu.be/84YASWe3_2Q?si=1iY-GvsTN-RsyiSG Abide with Me
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 17, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:15 -- Who are you believing?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps. Proverbs 14:15 ESV
 
A simple person is someone who claims to be open minded. He is so open-minded real wisdom falls right out of his head. He believes everything and everyone but is ignorant of the truth. It is a common trait among the people of God. In times of distress and hardship, even the community of faith want easy answers and quick solutions. The Bible is full of examples where the prophets of God spoke truth, and the people chose to believe lying prophets (I Kings 22:6-23; Jeremiah 28; Matthew 7:15-20 to name just a few examples).
 
The prudent are wise to the ways of God and shrewd in their dealings with world. Prudent men and women know the importance of critical thinking. Prudent men and women evaluate according to the word of God: the circumstances, the temptations, or the pressures of others. Even when, or perhaps, especially when, it is unpopular. Prudent men and women are prepared, like Elijah, and Jeremiah of the passages previously cited above, to stand alone and declare the truth of the word of God. It is hard. It is lonely. It is right.
 
Jesus told His followers: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” John 16:33. Those who are in Christ are in the majority. Though the whole world stands against them. As is promised, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4). Now, prudent men and women, go and serve Jesus.
 
O God,
Thou hast done for me all things well,
   hast remembered, distinguished, indulged me.
All my desires have not been gratified,
but thy love denied them to me
when fulfilment of my wishes would have
proved my ruin or injury.
My trials have been fewer than my sins,
   and when I have kissed the rod it has fallen
   from thy hands.
Thou hast often wiped away my tears,
   restored peace to my mourning heart,
   chastened me for my profit.
All thy work for me is perfect,
   and I praise thee.
Excerpt from: “Choices” Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions
 
https://youtu.be/4SvctBsjC08?si=2156D-avX6t4a_zi Black Sheep
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 16, 2026 -- Matthew 21:10b-11 -- Remembering the worst as we remember God's best

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Matthew 21:10b-11 ESV
 
These words were spoken at Jesus’ triumphal entry; on the Sunday we identify as Palm Sunday. Crowds called Jesus, “Jesus of Nazareth”. It is the name of insult, now it seems to be somewhat redeemed. Perhaps spoken in wonder. What it teaches us is that Jesus redeems us from our sin and our shame. The naming of our sin and our past is something we must remember. Why?
 

• When we remember who we were, where we came from, and all that Jesus has done for us, we can praise God with our whole heart.

• When we remember His mercy and reconciling grace, we are not ashamed of our past, but relieved that God knows the absolute worst about ourselves and has redeemed us.

• When we remember all of this, we can show grace to others who are locked in sin and struggling against their past. We can reach out unafraid because we know the powerful love of God breaks chains.

• When we know our own weaknesses and our past failures, we have a clear warning so that we don’t go back to what we were. We are therefore also strong accountability partners for one another, prepared to snatch one another back from going to old sins and old ways.

• When we know our own past, and have made peace with God, we can be patient with those who are less kind, less compassionate, who are pharisaical in their dealings with others.

 
Last Thursday, a part-time chaplain at Springhill Institution taught me this simple prayer. It seems so appropriate as a conclusion to this brief devotion.
 
God help me to see others as You see them.
God help others to see me as You see me.
God help me to see myself as You see me.
Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/A3U0G7OiKJw?si=LbyqUxqdfnVHKtdx
 

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August 15, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:14 -- Examine your thoughts

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

 
The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
Proverbs 14:14 ESV
 
What is a backslider? He is someone who turns away from the good things of the LORD. He is a person overtaken by the cares of the world so that his faith gets choked out. He is a man who tries Christianity, finds it hard, and decides to go his own way. Solomon is writing these proverbs for Israel, the people of God. Israel has been given the Word of God and the Law of God. They have everything they need to bear good fruit. But do not. The words of this text must serve as a warning for believers to examine their words and their ways to see if there is any area in their lives where they are backsliding.
 
Notice also, that the backslider’s descent into wrong begins in the heart. His heart lusts after something. Her mind is nursing some desire that is out of step with the believer’s appointed pathway. They want something out of step with the LORD’s commands, and instead of confessing their twisted longing to the LORD, they seek ways to justify their behavior.
 
A good man examines his desires. A woman after God’s own heart, upon discovering a longing will ask, is this right? If I act on this, will this action honour God? If the answer is no, a good man, a good woman will repudiate that longing or desire. Such a person is good precisely because of his ready submission to the leading of the Spirit of the LORD. As the Bible teaches, without the Spirit of God directing us we can-do no-good thing. Our hearts are naturally out of alignment with God, and our unexamined actions will immediately follow slippery habits rather than pathways of holiness.
 
To "be filled with the fruit of his ways" is repeated for both the backslider and the good person. Bad thoughts lead to backsliding actions. Godly thoughts lead to godly actions. Our longings and ideas bear fruit. Stinking thinking bears the bad fruit of stinking words and actions. Those who are filled with the Word of God will inevitably, by the presence and power of the Spirit, produce good words and actions thirty-fold, sixty-fold and even one hundred.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Spirit of the Living God, fill me with the word of God. Fill my imagination with the Living Word, Jesus, so that my desires and my actions will be godly. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/ENQYKMQEe6c?si=sH4ldfhvQDpBQoxA Lord Let Your Glory Fall
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 12, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:5 -- What are you breathing in and out?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
Proverbs 15:5 ESV
 
The word witness means someone who sees, hears, or knows about a person, or a circumstance. All of us witness all kinds of things every day. And then we talk about it, tell others, sometimes as gossip, sometimes maliciously, sometimes speaking out the stories of our day. Our senses are always taking in data. We evaluate, weigh, consider, make judgements on the things we see and hear. And all that we take in is profoundly impacted by our character. Are we faithful to God or are we false towards Him? No one is “basically good”. If one is not in Christ, one is a false witness. His character, attitude, outlook and worldview are all skewed by the fires of hell.
 
Consider these words from Genesis, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” Genesis 6:5. Now consider Jesus’ perspective, “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25). The human heart is violent, prone toward evil, and incapable of telling the truth.
 
False witnesses, those who are not transformed and renewed by the blood of Jesus, breath out lies. As naturally and unconsciously as one breathes, the false witness takes in and exhales lies. False witnesses lie to themselves. Tell lies to the people around them because they are incapable of being truthful even to themselves. Tell lies figuring everyone else is as dishonest as they are. False witnesses struggle to distinguish the truth from lies because they have become so accustomed to lies and cover-ups and misleading that it is ingrained in them.
 
Faithful witnesses are those who have been lost in a world of sin. Faithful witnesses have been found by Jesus, the Author and Perfector of all true believing. Faithfulness witnesses confess their lies and sins and rebellion against God, even when telling the truth will have painful consequences. Faithful witnesses know how much destruction a lie can bring. A lie takes on a life of its own; it must be remembered that other actions can taken as a consequence of supporting a lie rather than confessing it. Faithful witnesses refuse to go down that road. They will tell the truth, even if it hurts them.
 
Confession is a word that means to speak with. When we confess to God, we are saying we speak with You, God, and admit Your ways are right and ours have been, and are, wrong. Confession is the path to restoration with God. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:32. Interesting isn’t it, that Jesus calls Himself “the Truth”?!
 
Father in heaven thank You for loving us, Your people. Thank You for choosing us, knowing the absolute worst about us, and then applying to us the reconciling blood of Jesus Christ. By the strong work of Your Spirit in us, renew our minds and our hearts, so that we will be faithful witnesses for Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/px-eU1QjQiU?si=n3RPoVODZMXYAkqK Psalm 51
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 10, 2026 -- John 12:35 -- Walk while you have the light

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
John 12:35 ESV
 
Jesus spoke these words to His followers just before He would be arrested (having been betrayed by one of His own followers), tried, mocked, beaten, crucified and buried. While Jesus spoke to them, the people knew His spoke as One who had authority. They walked in the light of His words. The darkness would be the time of his arrest and crucifixion and those three, long days while Jesus was in the tomb. His followers were scattered. Shattered. Afraid.
 
You and I have a unique perspective. God has placed us in this time of salvation history, where we can look back and know Jesus rose from the grave. Taught His followers for forty days. His resurrection was attested to by many witnesses, then He ascended to heaven and poured out His Spirit. We are to walk in the light. How?

• Read about Jesus in the Old and New Testament.

• Listen to preaching about Jesus.

• Speak to Jesus in prayer.

• Spend time talking about Jesus with Christian friends.

• Ask your mature Christian friends questions about Jesus.

• Tell others about Jesus. He is the light in this world. Desperately needed, because our world is always running away from Him, chasing the latest messed-up-philosophies.

• Put into your heart a rich library of Jesus’ teaching. Memorize them. Know them. Meditate on them and recognize that there will be dark days ahead.

 
There will be times when your faith is tested. There will be times when you did what was right, and the world punished you for it. There will be times when your health fails. A loved one dies. A tragedy happens. There will be times when you experience darkness like you never ever could have imagined would exist. As you walk in those times of darkness, pain, and bewilderment, one truth will lead you. Especially there, in that moment, Jesus is your light. Believe. You are a son or a daughter of light, kept in Christ, by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Cry out to Jesus. He hears you. He will bring to your mind the light of life to guide you when you need it most.
 
O LORD my God,
You are mighty to save. I believe Your Word, promising that
in Christ we have the light of life,
and through Him we have the Spirit before Whom all enemies must flee.
When the darkness threatens to overwhelm me,
let the light of Jesus be brought to mind.
Let the precious truth of Scripture,
which I have stored up in my heart, light my way.
Bring Christian friends who are light-bearers
so that the darkness must flee in the light of Your glory and grace.
Quiet my soul, so that I will not listen to the fears or anxiety,
but let me hear Your quiet, strong voice, say to my soul
“I am with you always.” Amen.
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 9, 2026 -- Psalm 50:19-21 -- Puny people before unimaginable majesty

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

 You give your mouth free rein for evil,
And your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
These things you have done, and I have been silent;
You thought that I was like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
Psalm 50:19-21 ESV
 
People speak lies

• when it is convenient

• when we think the truth will hurt others

• when we are in the grip of our addiction or life controlling entanglements

• when we are aware of our lies, but worse,

• when we are so good at lying and deception, that don’t see how we are fooling ourselves.

 
What a contrast we are to our Glorious God. “God is not a man, that he should lie” (Numbers 23:19a). We have no category for this. We read the Bible and sift through it, delighting in whatever appeals to us, discarding what we don’t think is relevant, necessary or achievable. But the LORD is Truth and His every word is reliable. Those who worship Him must have a clear sense that they are not like God at all. He is holy. He is also wholly other. This is what makes the kingdom of heaven so topsy-turvy, or upside down, as far as we’re concerned. The LORD our God is incomprehensibly perfect in all His words and all His ways.
 
Father of Glory, Splendor, Who alone lives in unapproachable light; we bless You for the revelation of Jesus Christ. In Him we see the radiance of Your glory. Spirit of the Living God, this day of worship lead us to adore Jesus, to be filled to overflowing with wonder as we contemplate Who He Is. Break down our inflated sense of self and reveal to us how puny we really are and then, in the awareness of our smallness, may we have an ever greater sense of awe as we realize that God the Infinite, the Wondrous: created us, loves us, has broken the stronghold of our sins, and given us new life in Christ and by His Spirit guards us through this life until we enter life everlasting in Your presence. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/JwuDSw-9cUQ?si=usd9AiKHcXtSamVW Holy, Holy, Holy!
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 8, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:2 -- Did you know you're bilingual? I wonder if you say the same thing in both languages?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
Proverbs 14:2 ESV
 
We know that our words are language. It is how we communicate with one another. However, actions are a language as well. If we say we love God, but act in ways which are contrary to our verbal confession, we are devious in our ways. Our behavior shows our confession is meaningless. By our actions we show Him (and others) that we despise Him.
 
The wise fear the LORD—that is, in word and by their deeds they prove their life’s orientation is always directed to serving the Living God. Their words and their deeds are aligned. Their words and actions are moral, that is, in line with all that God requires.
 
The one who is crooked, or always taking selfish detours, or is unreliable proves he despises God. He is contemptuous of holy things. He is self-serving. He thinks he knows better than God how to conduct his life—though his past actions would prove his current stubbornness is evidence of his true foolishness. Plus, proves that his life’s basic orientation is pulling away from the Living God.
 
Christians, and those who profess to be Christians, but whose actions prove they are not, and pagans all have this in common: we sin. The pagan doesn’t care; probably doesn’t even acknowledge that there is such a thing as sin. The Christian, who is a hypocrite, justifies his actions and doesn’t confess his sins. Those who are upright, are those who by the work of the Spirit are confronted with their sinful behavior, are humbled and confess their sins. They rejoice in the forgiveness that is theirs in Christ. In the fear of the LORD and with thankfulness, they change their ways so that they are walking in uprightness. The governing desire of their life is to please God. They will fail. They will be awed and blessed by the mercies of God. They will, in view of His mercy and covenant love, renew their efforts to be consistent in their daily walk with God.
 
In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
Deliver me, O LORD,
   from lying lips,
   from a deceitful tongue.
Let your hand be ready to help me,
   for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, O LORD,
   and your law is my delight.
Let my soul live and praise you,
   and let your rules be my delight.
Psalm 120:1-2; 119:173-176 ESV
 
https://youtu.be/zRApdexr_gU?si=hjaOrMsN3kANwPqS I Love the Lord
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 6, 2026 -- What is forgiveness? I mean, seriously forgiving the other

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15 ESV
 
This morning I listened to R.C. Sproul’s message: “Forgiveness: Renewing Your Mind”. To be honest, I listened to it twice. It was that good. Sproul noted there are five aspects of forgiveness that must be present. He was so thorough, and so good in his explanation of it. It happens that people might not be forgiven, but feel themselves forgiven. And it can be true that one does not feel forgiven, but is in fact forgiven. (In that case pride is the obstacle!) Today’s devotion is based on his work. I have included the full 26 minute teaching as a link below. Here is a summary.
 
What must be true if we are to forgive others as God requires? According to Sproul:

1. Repentance. There must be godly sorrow over one’s sin. Sorrow before God, first and foremost. But there must also be godly sorrow before brothers and sisters.

2. Remission. It is by the blood of Jesus Christ that the sins are sent away from the guilty parties. Jesus bore the wrath of God. The only way brothers and sisters can live in unity is because Jesus bore the full cost for this.

3. Restitution. This is not light. It is not easy. It is hard to speak to someone else, restore what was stolen, as best as possible make amends for a ruined reputation. True repentance in the path of forgiveness means what can be made right must be made right.

4. Reconciliation. This is so important, Paul wrote “All of this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” II Corinthians 5:18. It is the good news of God in Christ that men and women who were estranged and separated can now be restored and the offense is no longer thrown up into their faces.

5. Restoration. Parables, like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) and (Matthew 20:1-16) demonstrate God’s delight to bring ruined sinners to Himself in restored fellowship. It is people, the “older brothers” and others who’ve worked a long time in the vineyard for the same pay as those who arrived at the last minute, who resent the goodness of God expressed in the lives of others. Oh, what wretches we can be. The benefit of forgiveness must ultimately result in men and women who are brought into relationship with God will be restored in relationship with one another and celebrate that restoration.

 
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/qydrHaTaW8w?si=t61TqfDIdLo8UdbV
This is the full episode from R.C. Sproul
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 5, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:1 -- Hey, what are you building?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down. Proverbs 14:1
 
If you are very familiar with the Proverbs, you’ll hear the echo “Wisdom has built her house” (Proverbs 9:1a). Here the word “wisest” is the plural of wise. It is the fullness of wisdom that builds the house. It is wisdom as an attribute personified. It is wisdom unto God, wisdom in the ways of men, wisdom to discern the worldliness of the world and to refrain from joining in.
 
What does wisdom build? A house. Significant. Think of this verse, “unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1). The single man, or woman, or the married couple, build a house where the glory of the LORD shines forth. It is a place of refuge for the weary, a place of teaching for the young, a sanctuary of encouragement for the downcast. Rich or poor, strong or weak, young or old, the home of the wise reflects the lovingkindness of the LORD. Wisdom is a joy for those who incorporate it into every aspect of their life. Wisdom leads the wise to know, love, and serve Jesus.
 
Not so with folly. As with wisdom, now with folly, it is personified. Here folly describes people who deny the LORD. I can go even further; the fool might even make a verbal confession of God, but the action of his life proves he doesn’t listen to Him. Actions are a language. Believers in God confess Him with their mouths and obey Him in the activities of their life.
 
No matter what folly attempts, in the short-term, or in the long-term, it will be exposed as worthy of destruction. More than that, foolish living, spending, speaking, company, et cetera, brings ruin into the life of the fool. You can see it in real time. Drugs lead to self-destruction. Pride to ruin. Influencers get mocked (or get themselves killed trying to be the biggest, fastest, best, first). Rich people act as if they are impervious to any harm, but like all people, they will face death and their riches will go to worthless people and get squandered.
 
The Bible both instructs and warns us that “we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” II Corinthians 5:10. Our lives are lived under the watchful eye of Him Who is our Judge. Those who acknowledge Jesus as their Savior and Lord now, who live for Him in word and deed, all the while knowing the Judge as their Redeemer-King. Those who refuse Jesus now, wilfully living for their own pleasure, will at the end of time face Jesus as the One Who judges their life as evil and He will cast them into hell.
 
Blessed are You, Father of mercies and God of all Comfort. You have given grace and peace to Your people through our Lord Jesus Christ and given us the sure and unshakable hope that in Him we are Your treasured sons and daughters. By the Spirit, teach us to walk in wisdom’s ways and be prepared to experience affliction, and great suffering, so that we will be purified from all our sinful ways and sanctified for Your glory. Who can be stand up under Your Spirit’s work of making us holy? If You don’t strengthen us and help us, we will fail; so through every trial and moment of suffering, teach us to rely on You, the God Who raises the dead and gives patience, comfort which is always accompanied by Your never-ending love. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/DxQx2xZPC5M?si=YgWTB2oSTl0ed3mh Take Shelter
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 4, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:23 -- How far-reaching is your confidence in God?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
but it is swept away through injustice. Proverbs 13:23 ESV
 
No doubt most of you reading this devotional are men and women who live in the city and are not too familiar with agricultural practices. Fallow ground refers to fields which are, for the seventh year, not planted. In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to leave their fields fallow, untilled, unplanted (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-7). It is a reference to the fact that once every seven years the land could rest and replenish. It is a command to trust God. He promised He will provide such a plentiful harvest for His people in the sixth year, that it would last through the sixth year, the seventh (the year of rest), and the eighth. That eighth year the faithful farmer would still be eating of the abundance of the fields and vineyards from the sixth year, while he waited for his current crop to yield food. It is a picture of a man (a woman, a family) that obeys God and trusts Him for every good thing.
 
Those who are workers of injustice are fools. They are men and women who refuse to obey God’s commands. They can be rich people who believe themselves to a law unto themselves. They can be rulers who require the people to live one way, while themselves break the commands of God. They can be men and women, who are part of God’s people, but do not keep His commands, out of fear that He will not do what He says He will do. Or, as verse 11 teaches, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it” (Proverbs 13:11). Typical right? Men and women usually know the ways of God but instead of obeying, in their pride think they know better than God. Instead of gathering little by little, they will aim for get rich schemes. Or will rip off the poor, or family members, or those who are in their care. Or such persons will waste precious money on lottery tickets.
 
Dear family in our Lord Jesus Christ—as sons and daughters of the Most High God, we have learned obedience is not a quick fix. One of Eugene Peterson’s books is called, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction”. That is such a wonderful description of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are continually learning the commands of God (not so that God will love us, He already loves us through the reconciling work of our Lord Jesus Christ). The more we learn the rules God gives us for life, the more we can be putting them into practice so that our lives are an expression of thanksgiving to Him. The Holy Spirit takes verses like these, which can seem obscure, and reveals to us what it looks like to trust God, not only for our salvation, but how our trust in God touches every single sphere of our life: social, family, community, finances, work ethic, obedience, play time, teaching the next generation, planning for the future and so on.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for Your great and tender love demonstrated to us in Jesus. Thank You for the Bible, which shows us how to live, and express our life-long thanksgiving to You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, Your presence in us helps us to understand the word, enables us to see Jesus more fully. Jesus, Who is the Living Word and the radiance of the Father’s glory. Spirit, empower us, to really know Jesus, so we can, in wonder and love, whole-heartedly serve Him. Let our lives are an expression of praise to You Triune God, as we fulfil the holy purposes for which You made us. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/pTTlSx6zXio?si=nS_Kh3cxTMy5sO9p Knowing You, Jesus
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 2, 2026 -- Matthew 19:23 -- What's Keeping You?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23 ESV
 
We need to know that our misery is anchored in this fact: that we are separated from God. It may be riches that interfere with our relationship with God. Or self-love. Or sex. Or fitting in. Or anger. Or thinking that we know better than God what it is we need in our lives. Our misery is rooted in the fact that we are alienated from God. Though we know He exists, we can’t reach Him on our own. We are alienated from our neighbours. Even the people we love most in our lives are subjected to our fits of temper and anger, angst and impatience. Finally, we are miserable in ourselves. We are to love others as we love ourselves, but we are so self-abusive in our words, our way of life, and our addictions.
 
What a beautiful statement Jesus made, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”. Salvation is completely impossible for us to achieve. But God has given us the treasure of heaven. Jesus Christ, Who obeyed the all the requirements of the Law perfectly, is our righteousness. When in our abject misery we see the glories of Jesus and know that our Father in heaven has sent Him, like the Good Shepherd, to go after us, lost sheep that we are, we are humbly, happily, ready to receive Him. He is then the treasure that is beyond all description. In life and in death, we are His. We are guarded safely in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, this is why our worship services often have prayers of confession included in them. The Word highlights our sins. When these are thrown into the light of the Word, we see how vile and wicked we really are. This is something we shrink from. We basically think we’re fine. We can easily pick a dozen people we know for sure are far worse than we ever could be. What we’re conveniently forgetting is the fact that we’re not able to go through the eye of a needle. Though we’re much smaller than a camel, our inability to save ourselves is just as obvious.
 
When we see how great our sin and misery are, we are convinced of the lovingkindness of our God. We realize that He really is the One Who has given us the treasure of heaven. In view of His great love and kindness, we leave our sinful ways and follow Jesus. In following Him is fullness of joy.
 
Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ, in Whom we have the fullness of salvation. Greater even than that salvation, is that we get to know You, the Triune God Who loves us. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/RZNOYmwiKCs?si=2cSwOPOPb0fV3XdN Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.